


Éponine Thenardier and the Barricade Boys

by Vivahogwarts



Series: The Barricade Boys verse [2]
Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Combeferre Knows Everything, Enjolras Is Bad At Feelings, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Javert Is Grantaire's Dad, M/M, Multi, Protectiveness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-10
Updated: 2019-05-10
Packaged: 2020-02-29 11:38:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 18,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18777526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vivahogwarts/pseuds/Vivahogwarts
Summary: A BUNCH OF SCENES WITH EPONINE THENARDIER AND EACH OF THE TEN 'BARRICADE BOYS', EXPLORING HER RELATIONSHIPS WITH EACH OF THE BOYS IN TURN. SET IN ONE BIG INTERCONNECTED UNIVERSE FOLLOWING THE STRUCTURE OF THE EPONINE THENARDIER LIST OF ATTRACTIVE YOUNG MEN. (WHETHER AS PREQUELS, SEQUELS ONE-SHOTS ETC)





	1. Eponine and Enjolras

**Eponine Thenardier and the Barricade Boys DISCLAIMERS AND WARNINGS I DON'T OWN ANYTHING YOU RECOGNIZE. I DON'T. I WISH I DID BUT I DON'T. GENERAL WARNING FOR SWEARING. CHAPTER SPECIFIC WARNING FOR TENSION AND MINOR VIOLENCE.**

**FOR YOUR INFORMATION THE STORY IS SET IN 2010s LANCASHIRE. EPONINE'S A NORTHERN GIRL (MAINLY DUE TO SAM BARKS BEING FROM THE ISLE OF MAN) EPONINE, GRANTAIRE, BAHOREL, JEHAN AND JOLY GO TO THE UNIVERSITY OF CUMBRIA. COURFEYRAC, MARIUS, COMBEFERRE, ENJOLRAS, COSETTE AND BOUSSETT GO TO LANCASTER AND FEUILLY WORKS THREE JOBS. FIRST WE HAVE THE BEAUTIFUL YOUNG MISS THENARDIER COMPLETELY DESTROYING ENJOLRAS. ENJOY.**

**CHAPTER THE FIRST EPONINE AND ENJOLRAS**

On the last Thursday in July Ponine was running a bit late. Now she was more or less permanently looking after her three little brothers (Gavroche, Pierre and Raoul because her parents loved to push their fake French heritage on everyone) her evenings had become a bit more complex.

Luckily she had a long-standing arrangement with old man Valjean and his daughter, her one-time foster sister, Cosette to look after the babies on Thursday nights. Though an official member of the student group known as 'Les Amis' Cosette rarely came to meetings and adored children. Unluckily they lived in one of the big posh houses near 'Sette's university, on the edge of town which was miles away from the two bedroom flat her and Grantaire shared.

Suffice to say she was already stressed out and did not need what she saw when she opened the door to the 24 hour cafe Feuilly worked in that Enjolras had commandeered for his meetings soon after he started university.

The atmosphere was tense and Jehan was crying. The older man was a bit, sensitive. A poet, a dreamer, a Romantic and all that but God she didn't think she'd ever seen him actually properly cry in public before. Fuck. Grantaire. She was gonna fucking kill him if this was his fault. Judging by the looks some of the others were throwing her way- Courfeyrac's usually permanent grin given way to a concerned grimace, Marius filled with relief and fear, Combeferre like she was his personal saviour. (Well as much as she could ever interpret his looks) it was totally his fault.

So. Enjolras and Grantaire again then. Oh they'd been doing so well as well. She walked further into the room to where The Idiots (as she had mentally dubbed them) stared each other down. Honestly! If they got an inch closer they'd be fucking snogging! Neither spoke as she came behind them, clearing her throat. Both looked furious and slightly guilty as they started apart. Neither had yet said anything but judging from Combeferre's glare, Jehan's tears, Joly physically shaking in a fullout panic attack... (that at least explained why Ferre was only glaring and not actively interfering since he was trying to calm his 'brother' down) this hadn't been the case for very long. Couldn't be the case for very long.

"You know what? This is pointless." Enjolras said now and Ponine turned to watch him.

This was important. R might need her.

"You are a good for nothing fool," he continued. "I don't even know why you bother coming here anyway. You're just a drunken idiot who won't amount to anything. You care about nothing. In fact, you know what? You are nothing. NOTHING. Nobody wants you here. Just get out Grantaire. You're just a waste of space."

Before she knew what was really happening Ponine launched herself at Enjolras only to find herself held back.

"Let go of me Combeferre..." she growled lowly so no one could hear. "I'm gonna rip his eyes out. I swear down. I'm going to..."

"No," he said, his voice hoarse with anger but still calm and rational where she was blazing fury. "It won't help right now."

From her place under Ferre's steady hand Ponine watched R as the words hit him like a physical blow. His eyes bleary with tears he was keeping desperately locked away, he stood shakily but he was more graceful than he would have been were he drunk. Fucking bastard! He was clearly completely sober! He looked at Enjolras. One long agonized look, like a kicked puppy or something, and Eponine felt her heart break. R looked around once at their stunned and shaking friends. At Joly now weeping in Boussett's arms, at Courfeyrac, one hand on Marius's shoulder looking more furious than Ponine had ever seen him.

At herself. A long hard look that told her everything she needed to know. Then he nodded and left the room. Enjolras turned aside as if to carry on as normal but Ponine was having none of that. No-one hurt her family!

Shaking Ferre's restraining hand off, she grabbed the blond man by the arm, spun him around and punched him full across the face. His face swung to the side and he reeled backwards, banging into a table rather satisfactorily.

"PONINE!" Marius cried, scandalized.

"That was bloody brilliant!" Someone, probably Bahorel said and Ponine laughed slightly.

Ferre just looked at her. Just looked.

"Don't tell me you didn't want to," she said, before rounding on Enjolras again. He instantly recoiled and she could see the punch would leave a mark. Good.

"You fucking bastard! You complete and utter fucking idiot! Have you any idea what you've just done?"

Enjolras looked non-plussed so Ponine decided to enlighten him.

"You just informed a suicidal man that he was unwanted. A waste. You just told a man who is completely madly in love with you that he is nothing. A man who would LITERALLY DIE FOR YOU if you so much as hinted it would please you. A man who literally spends every waking MOMENT looking for ways to win your approval. You fucking idiot! What the hell were you thinking?"

Enjolras looked at her in horror. Ponine hadn't finished with him yet but she gave him a moment to try and justify himself.

"I...he was drunk. He. Grantaire. He won't even remember this in the morning."

Ponine couldn't help laughing. "Drunk? He hasn't touched a drop you idiot. You cruel oblivious idiot. Couldn't you see that Enj?"

Ferre looked at them both seeming to come to a decision as he turned to the room announcing; "Grantaire has been fully sober now for about four months. He went through a very intensive rehabilitation and he didn't want anyone to see him fail. But he didn't fail. He succeeded."

He turned to Enjolras and added in a softer voice, "He wasn't drunk Adrian."

Enjolras sat down heavily, head in hand and groaned. "What have I done?" he asked, guilt and grief lacing his voice and, against her will, Ponine felt bad for him.

She was starting to feel antsy. She knew R was particularly fragile right now and she wanted to find him. Look after him.

"Ferre?"

He nodded, seemingly reading her mind. "Alright chaps. I don't think we're going to get anything done tonight. Why doesn't everyone head off home and I'll keep you informed. Don't worry about Grantaire. I'm sure he'll be fine but if you see him let me or Eponine know right away okay?"

One by one each of the friends left the cafe, most of them looking over at them with anger or anxiety in their eyes. When they had left she turned back to Enjolras and sighed.

"Listen," she said. "This is R. For all his faults he loves you. Right or wrong he fucking loves you. And he cares about what you say. By that logic..."

"I'm sorry. I need to..."

"Apologize." Ferre finished for him, and Ponine could clearly hear the anger still present in his voice. "Yes."

Ponine looked at the two of them.

"I need to find him," she told them. "And I swear. By all I have left to hold dear I swear Adrian Enjolras that if he is hurt in any way a punch will be the least of your worries." She took a deep breath and shook her head as she left the cafe.

If he had done anything stupid...


	2. Éponine and Marius

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> CHAPTER THE SECOND MARIUS AND EPONINE 
> 
> IN WHICH EPONINE WATCHES DISNEY AND ACCIDENTALLY SETS MARUS UP WITH THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE. SET ABOUT TWO YEARS BEFORE CHAPTER ONE SO PONINE KNOWS R, MARIUS AND COSETTE BUT THAT'S IT. SHE'S HEARD OF THE OTHERS BUT HASN'T MET ANYONE YET.
> 
> CONTEXT: EPONINE AND COSETTE ARE BOTH 17, R IS JUST 20. MARIUS IS 18. IN THE UK YOU HAVE TO BE 18 TO SELL OR BUY ALCOHOL BUT VALJEAN KNOWS GRANTAIRE TOO WELL...ALSO THESE THREE ARE SUPER CLOSE BECAUSE THEY WERE ALL RAISED IN THE SAME HOUSE...
> 
> DISCLAIMERS AND WARNINGS DO NOT OWN ETC. GENERAL WARNING FOR SWEARING. CHAPTER SPECIFIC WARNING FOR MENTION OF PARENTAL NEGLECT AND ABUSE.

Eponine trudged home through the rain one Friday afternoon thoroughly miserable. She usually loved rain, the hidden poet in her noting the way it made the pavements sparkle, but it had been a hell of a week and she just wanted it over and done with. Of course that was wishful thinking. Her dad's "business endeavours" didn't stop for the weekend so she wouldn't be either. Never mind the five page essay she had to write or the three exams coming up she should be revising for. Or the fact that Gav was sick and the baby brothers wouldn't eat if she didn't cook because no one else could be bothered. God she needed a night off! As though He heard her, Ponine's phone buzzed with a text from Cosette. FROM:princessC TO:eponineT 17.24 'Movie night at mine. Disney marathon. R's coming. He says "bring Pontmercy". X.' Oh...she would love to go...but... Her phone buzzed again. FROM: capitalR TO:eponineT 17.26 'Ponine! Sette's house. Disney. Ice-cream. 7. Bring Pontmercy it'll be hilarious. I asked Dad. He says he'll feed the babies coz I know you... Love ya freak. R' Well...she had no reason not to... Wait. R knows Marius and he never told me? Typical Grantaire. Never tells me anything... It was already pushing 5:30 and the rain had finally let up when she let herself in to the still-empty bar. She was completely soaked but a quick back-and-forth text conversation had Marius meeting her there and Grantaire's "dad" well prepared for the twins. So now all she needed to do was get her brothers out of the house and over to R's place without being spotted before she could head over to Cosette's. Luckily it was Paddy's shift in the bar tonight so her parents wouldn't care where she was. She ran upstairs, packed an overnight bag for the boys and got them out of the house with the promise of 'a night at uncle R's house if you're good for Javert.' She threw on some 'cute' clothes, grabbed their bag and the one she had kept ready for the last two years with her own stuff in it and left before anyone else even knew she'd been "home." She could have always collected Marius on their way but seeing him interact with the boys was a bit more than Ponine could take today. She wasn't a complete masochist yet. No. Far better that he meet her there. She dropped Pierre and Raoul (or little R as they'd taken to calling him) off without too much aggro, beside lil R clinging to her a bit, and grabbed the bus the rest of the way to Sette's house, pulling up just as seven struck. Ah perfect timing! Marius had just arrived as well, dressed in what she could tell were his best jeans and button-up, even if they were clearly second hand. Nowt wrong with that of course. Everything she owned was from charity shops or had been a present. "Hey Monsieur, what's new with you?" she asked in just a slightly teasing tone as she caught up with Marius. "Oh. Hello Ponine. Thank you for inviting me. I hope your friend doesn't mind me tagging along." Awh always so polite. "Ah. No. She's the one who invited you. Heard about you from R apparently. I'm just the messenger. Ah here we are 55 Plum Street." The house was... fairly impressive and Eponine laughed under her breath at Marius's very audible gasp. She had had the exact same reaction the first time Cosette had dragged her round to see her new house and meet her dad after the adoption had gone through. But like...at the time Ponine was 12. And poor and had never seen anything so beautiful before. Marius was 18 now and had told her all about his stupid rich granddad who had raised him. He was used to 'pretty' for heaven's sake! She marched straight up to the door and rang the bell. It was answered pretty immediately by the petite form of her one-time foster sister. "Ponine!" She squealed, pulling her in for a hug that the other girl knew better than to fight against. "And this must be Pont-mer-cy?" "Marius," Eponine corrected smoothly. "Marius Pontmercy my old next-door neighbour. Meet Cosette Valjean my sister. Well ex-foster sister. Whatever. She invited you. Her house yada yada. Please tell me you have ice-cream." Cosette laughed at her and went to shake Marius's hand, ushering them in out of the cold and into her cosy hall. "Wonderful to meet you Marius. I'm Cosette but you already know that right I...right. Um...ice-cream. Yes. I'll just go and...urm. Make yourself at home. Ponine? Kitchen. Now please!" Cosette looked oddly flustered. And Marius was blushing. Not that such a thing was unusual. Poor Marius always freaked out around the pretty ones. But it took a lot to ruffle Cosette's feathers. Ponine shrugged, assuming she'd find it out-whatever it was- as soon as she reached the kitchen. "What ice-cream do you want? I've got pretty much everything," Cosette opened with, cracking the freezer open. "Choconut. You already know that 'Sette. So what is it?" "Nothing... It's nothing. Ignore me." She reached and grabbed two tubs of Choconut, a tub of Strawberry Cheesecake ("for R cause he can't have nuts") and a mint-choc-chip for herself. (Ponine got two tubs because, as Cosette pointed out "You look like you could do with the chocolate") "Your friend Marius is...cute. Do you like him?" Cosette remarked seemingly casually as she searched for an ice-cream tub her guest might like. Oh. That. Um...Eponine looked at the blonde girl cautiously. She looked casual enough but a well trained eye could see her nerves. It was clear to her what Cosette was really asking. "He's...yeah. Yeah I like him but I mean...there's nothing between us. We're just. Friends. So...so go ahead babes. I'm gonna go pick a film. Oh and Pontmercy likes the posh lemon curd type if you have any." She walked out of the kitchen defeated but damned if a petty baby crush was going to spoil her night! In the living room she cozied up on the sofa, with Marius to her left and a stack of DVDs on the table in front of her. Let's watch Lion King!" she badgered, holding up the shiny case. "You always pick Lion King," R moaned from where he was hunting down Valjean's wine. Cosette laughed, coming in with the ice-cream and half a dozen spoons. "That's because it's the best R. And you won't find Papa's wine in there. Your dad rang again." "DAMN MY DAD!" R said loudly, shocking Marius as he barrelled into the room and collapsed over Ponine. "Get up you great gay lump," she groused ruffling his hair affectionately. R obliged, slide up into a sitting position and leaning on Marius. "I told you Pony. I'm not gay I am just in love with someone who happens to be a bloke. What say you Pontmercy?" Marius looked completely lost and a bit uncomfortable at their banter. Ponine was so used to it being just the thee of them that she had almost forgotten he was there. She decided to help him out a little, try to include him in the conversation at least... "So Marius. Imagine my surprise when I found out you and R know each other. How'd you meet up?" "Oh. Um. At one of Enjolras's meetings at the Musain cafe on campus. I...um got into a spot of bother..." "I didn't know you were one of R's 'social justice freaks' Marius" she teased. "Ah yes. Now that was a good I was minding my own, or rather my Apollo's business, and in comes some random bloke comes in and starts spouting his mouth off about how great Tony Blair was." R laughed at the memory. "He turned pure red. Brilliant. Anyway poor little Pontmercy here gets put down in like two words by Combeferre-King-Of-Put-Downs and runs out. Came back the next week though and no one's mentioned it since..." Ponine, Cosette and even Marius all laughed though the latter looked slightly startled and embarrassed by R's story. "Ah ignore him Marius. He's just jealous that you upset this Enjolras who his sisters are yet to meet Mister ' capital R'. Now. To business. Lion King yay or nay? Although it was admittedly hard to ignore someone draping themselves over you like a blanket... "I...I mean sure let's watch Lion King." R sat up and sighed in defeat. "Fine. At least this one has a decent villain in it." Ponine giggled and stuck the DVD in its slot, (because you know...blu-ray isn't a thing that exits) only to have the remote wrested from her hands by Cosette who had snuggled between her and R. The blonde girl hit play and they settled into the beautiful animation and music that was The Circle of Life. Or they would have done. Had Grantaire been elsewhere. ""Hey guys...what's your favourite Lion King song?" R asked just when the song began to get legible. "SHUT UP R!" the girls chastised as Marius piped up "Can you feel the love tonight?" "Cosette pause the film," Ponine demanded reaching for a tub of Choconut ice-cream, ripping it open and diving for a spoon. Cosette obliged, knowing from experience that it was best to let Ponine's rant have its course and secretly just as outraged at the interruption. "Grantaire next time you interrupt Lion King for anything other than a pause request I will grass on you about your secret stash at my house," she began. "You wouldn't?!" "Try me. Now Marius you're new to our nights so let's get one thing right. The greatest song in Disney history is Circle of Life. You might have a different favourite song but it doesn't change this objective fact. And at a 'Wolf-raised kids' film night one does not merely interrupt The Circle of Life. Ever. For anything. Are we clear?" Marius just nodded, seemingly shocked at Eponine railing at him so much. "Good. R- one chance. Now we can get back to the greatest song in the greatest animated film ever. 'Sette?" Cosette hit play and they enjoyed an amazing time singing and laughing and sobbing their hearts out. Even R had tears to shed over Mufasa and had to use up his 'one pause a person' licence to remove the evidence though he would later deny it. Great big 20 year old boxer crying over an animated lion? Ha no chance! When the film ended Marius turned to them. "Can I talk now?" He asked, half embarrassed from the 'lecture' earlier. "Give it a minute...okay go ahead." Cosette replied sweetly. "Yeah. I'm...actually No. It's not really important but...you girls should come to the Musain on Tuesday. I'm sure everyone will love you. Especially Courfeyrac. He's my best friend." "Huh. I thought I was your best friend," Ponine said, only half joking. "A guy can have more than one best friend Ponine," R pointed out. "Look at Harry, Ron and Hermione. Or The Marauders. Or us." "You're more...pack than friends," Ponine replied. "But I see your point." "So...Tuesday?" Marius asked. "Honestly I'm surprised you don't go already." "Yeah Pontmercy." R quipped. "You can introduce Cosette to everyone. And, and Ponine I suppose." Eponine just nodded and turned back to the table pretending not to care. She was an expert by now. "What time's your dad back Sette? We could watch another right? He wouldn't mind us staying up later than ten would he?" Cosette smiled at her in sympathy, as though knowing exactly what the other girl was thinking. "He's out all night. Shall we do Aladdin next or Hercules?" "Hercules!" R bellowed. "And it's my turn to pick because I was forced to watch Lion King again." Ponine just sighed as Marius turned down the offer, saying he needed to get home and slid Hercules in the player. Well at least this one had a decent heroine in it. She could picture herself as Meg very clearly. Very clearly indeed.


	3. Éponine and Grantaire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> OKAY THIS IS MY FAVOURITE CHAPTER BECAUSE IT'S PONINE AND R SIBLINGING AND I ADORE WRITING THESE TWO. THIS IS THE FALL OUT OF THE FIRST CHAPTER. QUITE HEAVY BECAUSE R HAS ISSUES AND HE'S HURTING.
> 
> DISCLAIMER AND WARNINGS: DO NOT OWN ANYTHING YOU RECOGNIZE ETC. GENERAL WARNING FOR SWEARING. CHAPTER SPECIFIC WARNING FOR MENTION OF SELF HARM, ALCOHOL ABUSE AND VIOLENCE.

The thing about Ponine and Grantaire was that they were incredibly close. They had been for years. The two of them and Cosette were family in all but name. Family ever since R would take the punches her dad had decided to share out when he was in a foul mood. They were platonic soulmates as she often joked. Which meant that she knew him. She knew...

She knew he was hurting so badly that he would want a bottle of whiskey. And he would want it quick. And there were certainly plenty of places to supply him with it. She knew, of course, but she hadn't quite realized before just how many pubs and off-licences there were in town. Especially on the main roads. And if they refused to serve him he might just pick up worse than a bottle. Either way she needed to find him and quickly.

Fuck! Of course! Of course he'd go 'home'. The first home he'd ever known. The house she had spent more time in than her own since Inspector Javert had come to their house and taken R away. Changed his custody papers. Gave him his first real home. Of course that's where he'd go! She turned in the other direction and ran towards the police station and the house next door.

Eponine knocked on the steel-coloured door and a middle-aged man with a stern face, clean shaven with hard lines and judgemental eyes, still dressed in a suit even though it was pushing 10pm, answered. He took one look at her and sighed frustrated.

"Knife Miss Thenardier," he ordered, stretching his hand to receive it. Ponine had expected it. 'No weapons of any kind must enter this house' was one of Javert's primary rules and for once Ponine had no arguments. She handed it over.

"I want it back this time Chief Inspector. Knives are expensive."

"Do you have any news for me today Miss?" Javert asked, tucking her knife in his pocket and raising his eyebrows.

She sighed deeply. She hated doing this but if it helped one person like Cosette..."P.M. Heysham Harbour. 6pm ETA. Not sure what's happening but they're actively planning. They want my...special skillset."

Chief Inspector Javert frowned at her.

"Do not go getting yourself arrested young lady."

She smiled cheekily. "I never do Monsieur. Is he upstairs?"

"Yes. Zack is...Yes. I will. I will make you a hot beverage shall I?"

Theirs was an odd, strained relationship. The officer of justice and the daughter of a criminal. The inspector and his protege. The foster-dad and the best friend.

"Thank you. I'm sure R would appreciate it. It was...particularly brutal tonight. Apparently. I'm actually surprised he came...home."

Javert nodded and stood aside.

"I will kill the boy one day you know," he remarked casually as he went to make tea for his 'son' and any other random students would appear on his doorstep tonight.

"Not if I do first," Ponine replied as she passed the kitchen on her way to R's old room.

She ignored the old sign on his door ("No entry by order of Zack Grantaire or Gav will find you, Ponine will kill you and Sette will hide your body") and walked straight in.

R was painting at his desk. It was something Greek by the look of it and the face looked suspiciously familiar. He glanced around when she entered but didn't speak. Ponine sat on his bed watching closely. No fresh cuts or scratching on his arms, and she couldn't be sure but he looked sober enough. But he was crying. She doubted he even noticed as he was making no attempt to wipe them away.

This worried her. She hadn't seen him cry in a long long time. She, she wasn't really sure what to do with it. Perhaps Combeferre would know. Yes. She decided. After all he had promised to update everyone.

'R alive. No cuts. Sober. Painting. Unresponsive. He's crying Ferre. He hasn't cried in years. Status on E?'

Not a minute later he replied; 'Same. He's fretting and blaming himself. As he should. I think we got through to him this time. He's begging to apologize. How are you?'

Before she could consider how to answer the latter bit R decided to acknowledge her existence.

"What are you doing Ponine?" he asked, voice dull eyes on the carpet.

"Texting. Duh." Sarcasm was all she had. Ponine didn't do touchy-feely sympathy. That was more Cosette's area.

"Oh. Who you texting? Your boyfriend?"

For some reason Ponine felt herself blush but brushed it off quickly. At least he was...trying to act like himself.

"I don't have a boyfriend R. You know that. No time for one. Too busy sorting out your love life."

He threw his paintbrush across the room and came to sit on the bed.

"I don't have a love life Eponine," he said in a very bitter voice. "You know I don't. You heard him yourself. I am nothing."

There was silence between them for a minute, Ponine not trusting her voice not to shake with anger.

"It's Combeferre," she told him when her emotions had simmered a bit. "He's worried R."

"Why?"

'R talking. Should be alright seeing E. But come with?' She texted quickly before locking her phone and shoving it in her pocket.

"Because he cares. I punched him for you. Enjolras I mean," she said briskly. "Bastard didn't even know what he'd done."

He groaned. "Don't. He was right. He's always right. I'm...not worth it. I'm a burden. A waster. An Alchie. Everything he said was true. I'm no use to anyone. You'd all be better off without me."

"Bull. I wouldn't be here if that was the case. Ferre wouldn't be messaging me. And...and Enjolras himself wouldn't be begging to come round would he?"

"Why? Why's he doing that? I...I don't even deserve to be in the same room as him...I'm...nothing. Mortal. Filth..."

"Shut up R!"

She punched him hard on the arm just as Javert walked in with two steaming mugs.

"Don't make me arrest you Miss Thenardier. Not tonight," he said handing her the dark blue mug that had been hers since she was twelve.

She smiled sweetly.

"You won't have to if _some people_ stop insulting my brother," she said lightly, taking a sip of the scalding hot chocolate in her cup, glancing pointedly at R.

Grantaire refused to look at her, seemingly slipped too far into his own negative world to even hear, let alone respond.

The older man left them in peace and they sipped their brews silently for a few minutes, each locked in their own thoughts, until the peace was disturbed by a loud and insistent banging on the front door.

They heard footsteps and quiet, restrained voices then the door closed and they heard Javert say; "Zack is upstairs. He should not be disturbed. Especially by one who drove him here in the first place. I have a good mind to deny you access to him at all."

Then the unmistakable voice of Enjolras replied "I understand. But please I messed up. So badly."

Even from here Ponine can hear the desperate passion in his voice. She didn't leave him like this...What had Ferre said to him? Next to her R tensed. She thought she knew what was going on in his mind.

"Sir?" And that was Combeferre's voice. Much more restrained. Much more authoritative. "If Zack doesn't want to see either of us we will leave of course but I believe this should be his decision don't you? He is a grown man after all."

Ponine heard all this and decided to interfere one last time.

"Enj is here," she remarked casually to R as though he hadn't been straining to listen like her. "Do you want him to go away?"

Years of experience with the man in front of her taught Ponine that this was in fact the opposite of what he wanted but he was so scared. So scared.

"No," he repiled hesitantly. "No. I think I should at least..listen. And you'll be here. You won't leave?"

"Course. Wouldn't abandon you now would I bro? And Combeferre is here. Don't worry though. He's completely on your side in this. Enjolras was out of order. And GOD he knows it now. That man has a hell of a lot of making up to do. And then some."

Before R could change his mind she grabbed her phone and sent a text to Combeferre reading simply 'R ready. Bring the arse up. x'

Less than a minute passed and they heard three sets of footsteps coming upstairs and stopping outside R's door.

"The Enjolras boy is here. With the nice sensible _law-abiding_ one."Javert said briskly before retreating downstairs. Ha. Law-abiding. Was Combeferre just...everybody's favourite man?

The door opened cautiously and Ponine felt R tense next to her yet again. He was nearly shaking with fear. She pulled his hair affectionately and mouthed 'I'm right here.' Ferre came in first, leading Enjolras by the wrist.

He always claimed to be more human than R gave him credit for but she had to admit to this being the first time she had seen him vulnerable. His eyes were brimming with tears and he bore a beautiful mark on his cheekbone where she had punched him. His rolled-up shirt sleeves demonstrated a dozen clearly self-imposed scratch marks and he visibly winced as Ferre dragged him along, none too gently. It seemed the man felt he deserved such rough treatment and the tears still marring R's face inclined her to agree.

In all the time she had known him Enjolras had always been full of confidence bordering arrogance and now he looked lost and vulnerable and guilty and human. Ponine almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

Ferre pulled the desk chair out and shoved Enjolras into it without ceremony before plunking himself down on the floor in front of her.

"R," he said in his softest voice, "Enjolras has something to say to you."

R looked at him dully, seeming surprised at the intimacy in the usual stoic, rational man's voice.

Are you, in a place where you can hear him? That's all he asks apparently. To hear him. If not we can leave right now. No trouble. No consequence. What do you say?"

R nodded, not taking his eyes off Enjolras. Ferre smiled and gestured to his best friend who was currently clearly not in his good books.

"R."

"Don't call him that." Ponine burst out. "You have no right to call him that!"

Combeferre put a hand out to her but Enjolras shook his head at the other man.

"No. No. She's right," he said before turning back to R.

"Grantaire. I hurt you. I called you things I had no right to call a dog. And my only justification was that I was upset and you were drunk. But you are not and even If you were it would give me no right to call you those things. I was a git. I think that's the word you used wasn't it Mike? Git?"

Combeferre nodded seriously but Ponine could see the corner of his mouth twitch .

"I believe that the words I used were 'You have been a complete and utter git Adrian' yes," he said, watching the exchange closely. Enjolras nodded and turned his attention back to R.

"I'm sorry. What I said was said in anger. In the heat of the moment, and I know that it doesn't change what I said. Doesn't justify it..."

Grantaire looked stunned and a little frightened that his Apollo Incarnate was even bothering to acknowledge his existence let alone apologising for hurting his feelings.

"Why?" He asked. "Useless. Waste. That's what I am. You said so yourself so it must be true...it must be... I'm just a failure...a burden...please Apollo..I would do anything. ..I did...I tried... I tried so so hard...Please believe me..."

It was these desperate words along with the tears from her so strong big brother that seem to finally break Enjolras and she realized this was the first time they had seen each other vulnerable before. Usually layers of nonesense lay between them. She instinctively gripped Ferre's hand, only registering dimly that he must have reached up to her.

Enjolras stood up from the chair and knelt before R and she saw the tears in his own eyes. Perhaps he knew what it was like to be Grantaire just a little now. Now he was the one begging for a scrap of attention. Now he was the one maimed from his own hand. Now he was the one kneeling before someone, feeling broken.

"I believe you. I believe in you. I know how hard you try. How much you have done for me in the past without me even knowing. I didn't see before but I was blind. An idiot. I am awake now. I see now. And every word I said was a lie. Though it came from my lips it was a lie. Though so many people heard those things it was a lie. Though I meant them at the time they were a lie. If you are useless why am I here? If you are a waste why does my best friend sit by you? If you are a failure why are you not drunk in an alley? If you are weak or nothing why are my arms the ones marked? Believe me now. You are beautiful. You are brilliant and you are loved. Loved by all your friends. Loved by the man downstairs in his own way. Loved by Eponine and by Cosette and by the boys. Loved by Combeferre. And..." he hesitated before plowing through. "Though I know I don't deserve you. You are loved by me."

Ferre looked at his best friend over his glasses. Grantaire seemed to be in shock. As, in fact did Enjolras who seemed to realize what he had just said and jumped up, shaking his head wordlessly and running out of the open door.

Combeferre sighed, stood up himself and, with an encouraging pat on Eponine's shoulder, left the room.

Well that was eventful.

"Did he just admit that he loves you because I am...not entirely sure what happened?"

"He...loves me? I...How...what? I don't understand." R said, laying down, his head in Ponine's lap. She absently started fidgeting with his hair. It felt wonderfully normal after whatshe could only describe as Today.

"That makes two of us. Three if Ferre didn't know that would happen. He still hurt you R. Remember that. Whatever way he loves you. He has a whole lot of making up to do before I accept him."

They heard muffled voices and retreating steps and Enjolras came back in the room.

"This is the first time I have seen your bedroom," he remarked. "I just wish, I could be here for something...right."

"How many people are angry with you right now?" Eponine asked, seeing if her instinct would prove accurate. That he meant it this time.

"Everyone who knows me I believe. Except maybe my parents and your baby brothers who don't know yet."

"Who is angriest?" R asks an old note of teasing in his voice that Ponine at least knows means R has forgiven. Not forgotten. But forgiven.

She had expected him to evade the question but he looks right at Grantaire with utter serious intensity and proclaims (there's really no other word for it) "Myself. I honestly believe not even Eponine can be more angry at me than I am right now."

R looks at him. That look of his that means 'why must you be perfect?'

"But after that? I think it's a race between Ponine and Ferre. I would say Ferre but...well He didn't punch me."

"You deserved it," she said without batting an eyelid.

"I know. God knows I deserved worse," and that is how Ponine forgave him.

"Seems like you have a lot of making up to do Apollo," Grantaire said lightly.

Ponine saw Enj flinch at the nickname.

"Please don't," Enj said. "I'm not...I'm not some sort of god. I'm just...Enjolras..."

"Ok."

"He means he forgives you," Ponine butted in helpfully. "God I need another brew! Where did Ferre disappear to?"

"He said something about 'Eponine will need a brew after dealing with you idiots and so do I,' then went downstairs."

"God I love that man!" She shouted, blushing scarlet as the door creaked open and Ferre entered with a tray bearing four mugs and a plate of biscuits.

"We all do..." R agreed, making grabby hands until the mugs were put down and he could reach one. "Mmm. Caffeine. Can we keep him?"

Ferre just laughed. "You're welcome R but I think this one might die without me. Speaking of..." he sipped his incredibly sweet (so sweet that even Ponine would pull a face) hot chocolate, "has Adrian invited you for coffee yet so you can actually TALK or do I have to do it for the idiot?"

R shook his head and Ponine laughed, sipping her own chocolate and marvelling first how Ferre managed to steal her mug without her noticing and second how the beautiful man made the best hot chocolate in the world.

"I promise this is really happening," she told him. "But I am surprised that someone who can organise a full scale strike of university students can't even arrange a date with someone it's obvious will say yes."

"IT'S NOT A DATE JUST A COFFEE," The Idiots said in unison.

Ponine laughed.

"Sure. You boys tell yourselves that."

"Looks like we'll have to do it for them." Ferre remarked lightly, the corner of his mouth twitching again. "So...Ponine. Does R want to go for coffee then to see the new exhibit at that art gallery in town with Enjolras on Tuesday. Enjolras is, naturally, paying because he's a gentleman."

Ponine couldn't help but think it was like organising a play date for two sullen children. R nodded so she replied "If neither of us kill them before then. Yes. Tuesday at 7 is acceptable to R. Don't worry I'll make sure he's ready. Now shush. Brew."

**END NOTE: OK SO THIS RAN ON FOR AGES. SORRY BUT HM. I LOVE THESE GUYS. ALSO FOR THE RECORD...YES I KNOW A 'BREW IS USUALLY TEA BUT WHERE I GREW UP (*WHICH IS NEAR ENOUGH TO WHERE EPONINE GREW UP IN THE STORY*) A BREW REFERRED TO ANY HOT DRINK SO PONINE AND R DO AS WELL.**


	4. Éponine and Courfeyrac

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter the Fourth Eponine and Courfeyrac 
> 
> In which Ponine and Courf hang out in Blackpool with Gav and we learn a bit more about Miss Thenardier. 
> 
> A/N I THINK AFTER THOSE TWO IDIOTS PONINE DESERVES SOME FUN DON'T YOU GUYS? AND I FIND IT IMPOSSIBLE TO HURT COURFEYRAC BECAUSE HE IS A SWEETHEART SO HERE WE GO. FLUFF, GAVROCHE AND BLACKPOOL ALL IN ONE CHAPTER. WHAT'S THE WORST THAT COULD HAPPEN? I JUST NOTICED YOU HAVEN'T MET COURF IN THIS YET. I HOPE YOU LIKE HIM BECAUSE HE'S MY FAVOURITE. (SHUSH DON'T TELL R) HE IS BASICALLY A SWEETHEART.
> 
> THIS IS SET IN THE SUMMER HOLIDAYS AROUND TWO MONTHS AFTER THE LAST INSTALMENT. 'THE IDIOTS' AS PONINE CALLS THEM STILL HAVEN'T SORTED THEIR STUFF OUT BUT THEY AREN'T FIGHTING AS MUCH. (MAINLY DUE TO FERRE'S MUCH NEEDED FRIEND-DADDING)
> 
> WARNINGS AND DISCLAIMER
> 
> I DON'T OWN LES MIS OR BLACKPOOL OR ANYTHING IN IT. UNFORTUNATELY BECAUSE I WOULD ADORE TO OWN THE SEALIFE CENTRE. POLITICAL VIEWS GIVEN MAY OR MAY NOT REFLECT MY OWN.

"I wanna see the huge fuckoff sharks and go on every rollercoaster and go right to the top top of the tower and...and ride a donkey!" Gavroche said as the bus finally pulled into Blackpool bus station.

"Anymore language like that from you and the only thing you'll be riding is the bus home," Ponine says in her best stern mum-voice because there are two old biddies staring at them and she will teach the world that she can raise this kid to not be a complete fuckup. Even if he is not hers to raise.

Courfeyrac steps off the bus behind them. He's wearing jeans and a yellow checked shirt over his black T-shirt, combat boots and a faux-leather jacket that she knows full well cost more than a month of her wages but that makes him look incredibly sexy. He practically screams cool and she can understand why random teenage girls keep ogling them. But what she knows and they don't is he's actually a massive dork. Like a really huge nerd. And that his boyfriend got him that top for Christmas last year. Not because it looks good but because it's in Hufflepuff ...why look cool when you can show House pride right?

"Oooh so do I. That sounds awesome. Ponine can we ride a donkey? Can we can we can we?! Pleeeaase!"

See. Dork.

"You. No. You aren't a kid Courf. You're a grown man and no-one is gonna let you near their donkey. Gav. Maybe. Depends if there is any. I don't even know if they do them any more. But no rollercoasters. Not today. We don't have time for SeaLife and the Tower and Pleasure Beach."

"Awww!" Both boys whined in unison. Ponine sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. Oh great! Now she'd got that habit! It was gonna be a long afternoon.

Courf looked over at her.

"Ah well. There's still loads to do. Come on kid. Let's go terrorize some monsters!" Courf yelled, lifting her little brother with ease. She knew there was a reason she had agreed when he asked to come. She could handle Gav easily, she'd practically raised him and the twins singlehandedly since her parents were so useless, but today...she wanted today to be fun. And Courf was perfect at fun.

It turned out the tide was in anyway so donkeys were a no. So the three of them ended up wondered up and down the Golden Mile acting like proper tourists, taking photos on Courfeyrac's phone until the battery died and spending way too much money on stuff they didn't need.

First they went to the Tower, whizzing up in the lift so fast that both boys screamed, Gavroche in delight and Courf in fear that left Ponine in fits of laughter.

They went to the SeaLife centre where Ponine got bitten by a starfish and Gav was absolutely stunned by the huge tunnel of sharks. Courfeyrac laughed at both of them and promptly disappeared to the gift shop, coming back with a huge shark toy and a beautiful bracelet with a starfish on.

Courf insisted on visiting every shop they walked past, flirting with the shopkeepers and buying them stuff. Tacky tourist stuff mostly. Stuff she didn't need or want but he always won her over with "you can give them to the kids. Or the guys. I bet R would love that pink hat" Or "Ferre would adore this. I'll get it for you for him. He'll like it better from you." Or he would just go and get it and shove it at her. It wasn't even like she was skint. He just liked buying people things. Like toys for the little ones who's school started earlier than Gav's. Or sweets for Gav. A heck of a lot of sweets. So many that come five o'clock Gav was well and truly hyper.

He was twiddling around on his brand new phone (a present from Joly and Boussett "surviving long enough to get into secondary school". High school as she was quick to correct them) when he suddenly stopped with a huge burst of laughter.

'Hey did you hear?"

Gav was jumping up and down now and _somebody_ was going to die. Slowly and painfully.

"Did we hear what Gavy?" Courf teased.

"Seriously? Hm. I thought Enjolras messaged everyone. You need to check your phone more Courf," 'The kid' teased right back. Actually that was a good point. Ponine hadn't checked her phone all day.

"Phone's dead lil one. Died round about... The fifteenth selfie we took Ponine?"

Ponine nodded, wondering briefly if 'everyone' included her. And when 'everyone' included her 11 year old brother who had owned a phone less than a week. She checked her phone. Hm apparently it did since she had two messages from Enjolras, three from Ferre and about 16 from R.

FROM: ENJOLRAS

TO: eponineT *and 15others.*

17:00 DONALD TRUMP HAS JUST SAID HE WANTS PROTESTS TO BE ILLEGAL. THIS IS A BASIC VIOLATION OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF ALL AMERICANS. IT'S THIS SORT OF RIGHT WING THINKING THAT WE ARE TRYING TO GET RID OF AND HERE THE LEADER OF THE FREE WORLD IS PROMOTING IT. I THINK WE SHOULD CALL AN EMERGENCY MEETING FOR TOMORROW AND DO WHAT WE CAN TO SPREAD THE WORD!

FROM ENJOLRAS

TO eponineT

17:21 Combeferre has "kindly" Yellow Carded me. I forgot you were away today. My apologies. (Also please say sorry to Courf for me. I didn't know he was with you and...well I'm sorry) I hope I didn't interrupt your day. How is Blackpool? Are Courfeyrac and Gavroche behaving themselves?

She looked back at Courf.

"Donald Trump said he wants to make protests illegal," she told him, since that seemed to be what Gav was on about. She wondered what the second cryptic message meant.

"Of course he fucking does!" Courf blurted out. "I bet Enjolras I'd losing his shit!"

Gav whacked him with a gleeful crow of "Language young man!"

"You have been waiting for that all day haven't you brother? Yes and yes. And Enjolras says sorry but I don't know why. Apparently whatever it was meant Ferre dealt one of his daft 'yellow cards' and it worked. Lemme just let him know we're all ok."

FROM eponineT

TO ENJOLRAS

17:32

Blackpool gr8. All ok. Courf's battery dead he isn't being rude. Behaving themselves. Passed on your message...vague as it is. X

Then she checked her other messages, mainly to work out what was happening.

FROM Combeferre

To eponineT

17:03

I know you are busy but have you seen Twitter? Apparently Donald Trump suggested making protests illegal. Enj saw it and he's freaking out. Don't worry I can handle it.

17:16

So Enj is on a yellow card and verbal warning. He upset Jehan. Shouted at him cause Courf wasn't responding. Reminded him you guys were in Blackpool. He says sorry.

17:19

Forgot to ask. How are you? Is everything going okay?

He upset JEHAN? Well now the apology made sense. And Ferre was so sweet asking her how she was and everything...course Enjolras had also asked...

FROM eponineT

TO Combeferre

17.36

See your daft system works. E apologised but he was really vague. Gav saw some real sharks and Courf has pumped him with icecream and rock and God knows what else. And he won't stop buying me stuff. We're all good but Courf will be dead soon...💚

Was a green heart too much?

FROM R

TO eponineT

15.54

Hey pony! How's Blackpool?

15.59

Ok. You're busy. That's cool.

16.21

M going Musain. Probs still be there when u get back.

16:32

Ferre and Apollo and Jehan here. Will wind them up.

16.42

Don't worry. Won't make Apollo too mad 😉

16.54

Oh God! Apollo is losing his shit. It's hilarious.

16.57

I promise I did nothing.

16.58

No this time...this time I actually didn't. Really really.

16.59

It's something about Trump again.

17.00

Oh wait how's the munchkin? And Gav? Lol

17.04

Suppose you've heard by now.

17.06

Apparently Apollo sent out a big spiel.

17.08

Protests blah blah blah. Free world blah blah blah. Emergency meeting blah blah blah.

17.11

Oh shit! Jehan's crying gotta go.

17.20

Don't tell Courf but Enj just made Jehan cry. Ferre dealt with it. He was great. You should have heard him.

17.23

U know how I said I wish Enjolras would turn on someone else for once? Think I've just changed my mind. That was horrible to watch. Is that how you feel all the time?

Umm. Which bit was she supposed to respond to?

FROM eponineT

TO capitalR

Blackpool is really great. We went to sealife and Gavroche saw a real shark. Courf has pumped him full of sugar so someone is going to die soon... Well done for not provoking HIM. Proud of u bro. Ferre messaged me bout the whole thing and E apologized. We'll be home by 7. You can tell me all about it then. Woov u

"Soooo. Hows about we go grab some pizza before we've got to sit down on a bus with a hyper af Gavroche for an hour?" She asked Courf, trying really hard to act...you know. Natural. Trying and failing by the looks of it.

"What happened? It wasn't R again was it? Because I swear this time..."

Ponine shook her head and showed him Ferre's message. Just then, before the news had really sunk in, another text came through.

FROM: Flowerchild

TO.:eponineT *and one other*

For Courfeyrac

My dear Courfeyrac/ I am fine. Don't be angry/ At our Enjolras.

Seriously. Don't. I'm okay and he said sorry and we're fine. You weren't answering and he was upset and worried.

Hello Ponine my love.

"There. He's fine. Put it away Courf we'll be home soon," she told him firmly. "Now come on! I want pizza."

"Yeah PIZZA!" Gavroche cheered, seemingly oblivious to their tension. "We never get properpizza at home! Usually it's just chips if dad can be bothered ordering some. That's why I love going to yours Ponine."

"He says it like it's normal," Courf, the man raised by loving, hardworking French-Irish parents said.

"For him it is Felix," she reminded him. "For me it was until Cosette and R left when I was 12 and suddenly I had people cooking actual food for me and teaching me to cook so my brothers get a decent meal once in a while."

She smiled at the memory and dragged both boys to the nearest pizza place.

"We can't just have a normal day can we?" She lamented on the bus home after finally persuading her brother to sit still.

"Ach. What's normal got to do with it? With us?"


	5. Éponine and Combeferre but not...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ALSO KNOWN AS TEN THINGS EPONINE THENARDIER HAS ABSOLUTELY DEFINITELY NOT NOTICED ABOUT MICHEL COMBEFERRE (EXCEPT SHE TOTALLY HAS)
> 
> SO I WAS WONDERING HOW TO 'SKIP' THE EPONINE/COMBEFERRE SCENE AND MAKE IT CLEAR THAT I WAS SKIPPING TO KEEP IN STRUCTURE WITH THE 'LIST OF ATTRACTIVE YOUNG MEN" STRUCTURE I'VE BEEN USING SO I DECIDED TO MAKE A CHAPTER OF HER AVOIDING THE ISSUE. AND R BEING HIS USUAL "HELPFUL" SELF.

 

**WARNING FOR SWEARING BECAUSE IT'S A PONINE AND GRANTAIRE HEAVY CHAPTER. ALSO PONINE MENTIONS A SICK KID AT ONE POINT BUT NO DISGUSTING STUFF HERE THANK YOU. UMMM. Oh yeah! Bold text like this is R. Plain text is Eponine.**

1\. His name is crazy French. Like more French than mine. It's ridiculous. **Seriously. Michel? I mean. Michel. Combeferre. What was his dad thinking?** R? What are you doing? **Hacking your list. Why?** Anyways...at least my family IS French. Sort of. Distantly. I have no idea where _they_ got 'Michel' from. **Nice name though. Right...?** I never said that. **You meant it though didn't you?** Don't know what you're talking about R. **Hmm. Sure you don't pony. Sure you don't.**

2. **He would make a great dad.** Would he? Haven't noticed. **OK now I know you're lying pony. You've noticed. I've** ** _noticed_** **your noticing...** Shut up R I don't know what you mean. **...** R! **Nope. Not saying anything.** Ok fine so he can deal with a Gavroche tantrum and didn't flinch when poor Little R threw up all over him. **At the same time as the Gavroche tantrum** Big deal. So what. YOU'VE dealt with it before. Loads of times. And it's not like I saw that and was like 'oh R would make a great dad' know what I mean? **...** I mean _sure_ I was fucking grateful _someone_ looked after him when I was trying to work but it could have been any of the guys. **But it wasn't. It was Ferre...** Shut up! (😏) shush. (😌) Ok. Fine. He would make a great dad. Happy? **_Extatic_**.

3\. Well I take it you're here all day now **yep**. Great. So...is it just me or does Ferre make the best brews for everyone? Exactly when they need it...All the time. (😁) **no. No this is something that is definitely not just a you thing. That boy's "weak black coffee with no sugar" can and has put a smile on my dad's Thursday-morning-face.** Ewwwww. **What? Thursday, Coffee or sugarless?** All three. Urgh *shivers*. Speaking of...do you have any idea how Ferre manages to remember all this. Like I'm pretty sure Enjolras alone has four different brew selections a day.

**5\. He has 5. The fifth is a rare one** oh of course you know Enj's coffee habits. **Yep. He's a creature of habit.** Like you **.Or you with your "tea before 5, chocolate after" rule** And yet Ferre always knows what everyone wants before they've asked. I mean even keeping track of me or Enj or you, creatures of habit, but when it comes to ditzy Marius or firebrand Courf... **Man's a miracle worker what can I say**. I mean how does he ALWAYS know?! And how does he get it so perfect? ***magic***

Wait...Enjolras has five brew choices? I've only ever seen four...

**Oh. Yeah. He has black sugarless coffee the minute he wakes up, or on his way if he's running late, milky tea an hour later if he's still at home, a large latte with a caramel shot from Martineaux on campus and one of Jehan's fruity tea concoctions when we have meetings. They let him off because he usually pays for everyone else**. That's only four. . **...And a very rare occasional marble hot chocolate when he absolutely can't sleep.** Oh. **Sad right?** Lil bit... **What brew does Ferre like?** I... **haven't noticed?** Hot chocolate! **Ok. That was quick. I think we need a whole new section don't you?** No.

4\. **You've memorized his exact brew structure**. Haven't. **Please! Bet you even have his brand stashed** So what? He drinks hot chocolate! Big deal. **Lotta people drink hot chocolate pony. Lotta people you haven't noticed** Shut up R. If you _must_ know he drinks Cadburys with milk cause he's a weirdo and like five sugars. But only when he's stressed. Or dealing with you idiots. Or he's popped round for whatever reason. O **h I wondered about the big tub of Cadbury hot chocolate in the cupboard with the note for me. Like I would drink that rubbish! Coffee all the way!** R! **Sorry...sorry. Je suis dèsolè.** I did notice after all. Ummm normally- at the cafe or something-he likes tea. But not normal tea cause he's weird. Peppermint. Or that fancy Twinings lemon and ginger one he has sometimes. **The one Courf bought him?** *nods* It smells absolutely gorgeous but lemon in tea? Weirdo. Weirdo Nerd.

5 ummm. Ferre is ridiculously smart. That's not a thing you notice or not. That's just a fact. **The sky is blue. Dogs go woof. Ferre is a genius yeah.** So so smart... And my god! Have you heard him debate with Feuilly. It's the funniest coolest thing ever. When they both have the exact same point but like one tiny detail different and they'll go at it for hours when it just washes over everyone else's heads, even Enj's and I'm just sat there, or stood there all... **Ponine...** What? **You've got that look on your face again.** What?! What look? **The Pontmercy-face**. I do not! **Fuck off! You're enamoured and you know it!** Don't be daft. **You do! Oh man you are! That's the same look I see on Pontmercy all the time. Oh Zeus! That's hilarious.** Shut up R you're being stupid! You love it too. **No. I love it when Enjolras gets into a debate with someone because his face...oh his eyes! When Ferre starts it's just funny. Cause you can guarantee he'll win with one of his sarky one-liners but he'll be so fucking GRACIOUS about it..** Well he's a gentleman... Unlike SOME people... **Hey! I resent that** very true **jibe!**

6 As I said Combeferre is an utter gentleman. I mean...do you know someone who doesn't like him? Because I don't. **Huh. No. No even me dad likes him.** Yeah and your dad likes absolutely no-one. **True. I'm pretty sure he doesn't even like me at times** Yeah your dad is not a people person AT ALL. **But he likes Ferre.** Like I said EVERYONE likes him. Even the people who really really hate what he says like him cause he's damn respectful of everyone. **Well that and he hasn't ever been caught.** Welll...yeah. That as well.

7\. Those BURNS! **Has this just turned into a 'Combeferre is awesome' sess. Because. You know. I'm game for that. Just so long as you know that's what this is.** Was it really anything else R? **Hmmm. Touchè** Anyway. You know what I'm chatting right? **If you are referring to "Combeferre-king-of-sass" then yeah. I do. If you're talking about actual burns...well I think you need psychological help and I'll book you in tomorrow...** Rude! I meant the first one. DUH! Honestly! What do you take me for? Real burns aren't sexy. Beautifully snarky spur-of-the-moment one liners are sexy. ***coughs* sapiosexual** uh...what now? R are you feeling...okay? **Yes! Athena! I can't believe Courfeyrac didn't teach you this word. Since it's basically you.** I did have a life before I knew these people you know... Courf didn't teach me...I'm not... **Artemis**! Perhaps not the best Goddess to invoke right now? **Meh I'd already used Zeus once today. It means someone who gets attracted to people because of their intelligence. Their brains** Oh...um...Oh...that does sound like me... I mean. Not not with Ferre or anything... **yeah yeah. Just in general yada yada**.

8 **ha! If looks could kill!** Oooh Ferre glare! **Ferre Glare? Really? What even is this anymore. And why am I still commenting?** Yes. YES! And I don't know. **So. Glare.** Right. It's just like. Like a basilisk or something. **But without the death bit** Well duh! Or you and Enjolras would be like super concentrated ghosts right now. **As would half our group of friends in fairness.** Well that is true. I don't know how he puts up with the lot of you. Then again I don't know how I manage it half the time. **Sugar. A hell of a lot of sugar**. *laughs* **Seriously you do NOT want to have that glare aimed at you. *SHUDDERS***

Yeah...*fondly smiles* **You're Pontmercying again!** I am not. I don't know what you mean. I... 😐

9 Okay... okay. Fine. He makes me smile. Ok. As humiliating as that feels he makes me smile. What am I doing? I swore to myself after Marius and...and Cosette and everything that I'd be fine. I can't do this...I don't have time for this shit. I... **Ponine. Breathe. It's OK. It's just a Joly. You're fine. Just remember. In and out.** Shut up R I'm not a baby. I know how to breathe.

**Now you mention it. I mean...Ferre. That smirk is cute**. *snorts.* I'm going to tell Idiot 2 you said that. **Idiot 2? Really?** Yep. Better than 'Apollo' anyway. ***shakes head* Apollo is the shining God of the Sun. The musician and healer and imparter of prophecies** Yep. Also the bloke who runs after someone and get them killed. God I need a brew!

10\. Ok so. I think I'm just a bit in love with Ferre. And I think he likes me back. **I think you should tell him.** Yeah. Maybe. Oh I don't know. Shut up and make me a brew R. **Ahh now there is something I can do**. Don't get too cocky. Ferre makes a better tea than you. **Oh my poor broken heart!** Oh shut up!


	6. Éponine and Feuilly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> FEUILLY WORKS SO SO HARD. HE AND EPONINE HAVE LITTLE 'GET AWAY FROM THE IDIOTS' STUDY/CHILL SESSIONS. WHICH IS BASICALLY WHAT THIS IS.
> 
> SET SOMEWHERE BETWEEN CHAPTER 3 AND CHAPTER 4- SO IN THE SUMMER HOLIDAYS BASICALLY.

I WENT WITH THE FIRST NAME "VICTOR" FOR FEUILLY AND I USE IT A LOT MORE IN THIS CHAPTER THAN I USUALLY WOULD.

GENERAL WARNING FOR SWEARING. 

USUAL DISCLAIMERS. ANYTHING YOU RECOGNIZE I DON'T OWN IT.

ON WITH THE CHAPTER.

Ponine had just about had enough of...well. Men. She flung open the door of 'Musain' or whatever the cafe's actual name was and practically threw herself at the barista. Feuilly just looked at her with a grin and held up a mug.

"Victor Feuilly please in the name of..." umm what was R's Official God of the Day again? Oh right. "In the name of Posiedon tell me that that is a lovely hot mug of tea in your hand for your favourite customer!"

"Not yet it's not," he responded, holding the cup well out of her reach. "It soon will be though. Poseidon?"

He deftly added water, milk and three sugars to the cup, mixing as he talked.

"R and his Greek shit."

"And yet you play along."

"Meh. Shuts him up. Is it just me or is everyone we know a complete idiot?"

"Well there's Michel. And Jehan. And you. But pretty much everyone else I know yeah...Here." He handed her the steaming mug and she reached for her purse but he waved it away.

"Ahahah," and at her look of mutiny added "I'll put it on His tab. Payback for whatever he's done this time..."

She grinned ruefully. "Thanks. How'd you know?"

"Because the only times you rant about men to anyone other than R is when HE'S done something. You wanna go out back? It's reasonably deserted for once..." *Out back was once the cafe's front entrance in the alley but refurbishment left an empty room until Victor started working here and the ABC adopted his cafe and its convenient back room, refurbishing it and making it their unofficial headquarters. Mrs H, the cafe owner said she didn't care as long as they only bought brews from her. It was rarely deserted at all, a favourite spot for her idiotic boys to congregate and...usually annoy each other.*

"Alright. Are you actually...you know having a break today?"

Victor sighed and rolled his eyes.

"My shift ends in five minutes," he admitted. "I'm just waiting on Marius actually." He looked at her carefully. Her one-time infatuation with Marius that had led to a fight between them that had nearly torn her friendship with him and *worse* Cosette (and with it their group as people took sides) apart was still seemingly a touchy subject even though it was more than a year ago now.

Ponine knew this but she just shrugged. That was ages ago.

"I'll wait with you then."

Marius came in a minute later, somehow soaking wet and shivering even though it wasn't raining. Ponine took one look at his kicked-puppy-expression and started laughing. To think she had ever...

"What happened to you? Or do I not want to know?"

He muttered something about Courf and 'water balloons' and 'attack' and 'insane' and shuffled off to get changed. Ponine just laughed all the harder and Victor, looking like one wrong look would send him into the largest giggling fit ever (she was still astonished men could actually giggle) asked "So. Things back to normal with you two?"

"God Foooie! That was ages ago. No. Honestly there never was 'normal' with me and Marius. I was a stupid teenager when we met and he was nice and I had a crush and now...we're sorta newly normal if that makes sense? I am WAY over him. Like WAY WAY! Totally! Man. I love Cosette far too much to hurt her like that anyway. Even if I wasn't. Silly buzzy."

"BUZZY?! REALLY?" And the 'serious- working-man fascade broke down. "BUZZY?!"

"Yeah. Like a bee cause you're ALWAYS working and I know I can hardly talk but come on. How many jobs have you got right now?"

"Three...in the daytime. That's all! And the stuff I do for Amis which somehow always ends with food in my cupboard or money in my wallet or..."

"Or clothes that just ended up in your wardrobe?"

Courfeyrac.

"You too huh?"

Definitely Courfeyrac.

"Bahorel bought all Gav's high school stuff last week. I caught him and R hiding it in the flat. And I'm not sure who did it but somehow someone got two brand new sets of Primary school uniforms and left them on my bed yesterday for the babies. Shoes and everything. My money's on Courf."

Walking through to the back room Feuilly turned to her.

"It usually is. Does it ever..." he looked guilty as he said the next part

"annoy you? Like I'm super super grateful for the help and stuff but..."

"You're not a charity case," she finished for him. "Yeah. I know what you're saying. It's just...it happens all the time. Like they're saying 'ooh look at me, my daddy's rich and I can afford to throw money away!' Ok so that's not fair but..."

He shook his head with a tight smile.

"No. But...I get what you mean."

She smiled. Her Feuilly smile. The one that meant 'I'm glad you at least get it.'

"So...what DID he do this time?"

"It's a long story..."

"I have time," he put his coffee cup down and got comfy. If Ponine said something was a long story then it really would be. She gave him the best impression of a 'Ferre glare' she could manage then sighed and told him everything. About R and the twins and Gavroche starting high school and Cosette being away and her dad and nearly getting arrested and just...everything. Everything except what was really stressing her out.

Everything except...except Ferre and how she felt and her confusion and. And well...all that stuff because he was great. He was. But he wasn't the person she NEEDED to help her deal with that stuff right now. Only the person she would usually ask was...

"Hey Victor? What would you do if you had a problem but you couldn't talk to Ferre? Who would YOU go to?"

"Hmm. That's a tricky one. I think we all rely on Combeferre far too much but...I would ask Enjolras. Failing that? Jehan. He has a modicum of sense. And if it's anything to do with love or poetry or French...he's your man."

She laughed at this.

"Oh mon ami! I don't need help with French. Je suise française. Well sort of anyway."

Jehan Prouvaire eh? Probably the most sensible suggestion ever.

"Jehan it is! Salud!"

"Salud."


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> HE KEEPS PESTERING ME TO WRITE SOMETHING ABOUT HIM...
> 
> THIS CHAPTER IS PROBABLY THE HARDEST I HAVE WRITTEN.
> 
> I DON'T OWN ANYTHING YOU RECOGNIZE.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GENERAL WARNING FOR SWEARING AND- THIS IS IMPORTANT THIS CHAPTER...I'M FLAGGING UP CHAPTER SPECIFIC WARNING FOR SPECIFIC MENTION OF VIOLENCE, RACIAL HATRED AND THREATS. ALSO BRIEF GENERALIZED MENTION OF ANIMAL CRUELTY. NOTHING HAPPENS ON SCREEN BUT THEY DO TALK ABOUT IT IN SOME DEPTH AFTERWARDS. JUST BEAR IT IN MIND OKAY? 
> 
> I'D ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT HERE I DON'T NECESSARILY HOLD THE SAME VIEWS AS MY CHARACTERS. THIS IS JUST WHAT I THINK THEY WOULD THINK AND SAY. OKAY? OKAY. ON WITH IT.

 

Bahorel came limping into the back room of Musain one Friday evening completely soaking wet, sporting a bloody nose, a black eye and carrying a fluffy grey kitten that was definitely not one of his five. He promptly dumped it on Joly's lap and wandered off to the table where Ponine sat chewing her thumb over a difficult case R's dad had made up for her. Something about an officer being charged for police brutality at a student protest. It cut a little too close to home but she knew Javert was testing her to see if she had what it took.

But she looked up when she saw him hovering and put the papers away for later.

"What the fuck happened this time?" she asked, shoving a chair towards him so the taller man could collapse boneless into it.

"I may or may not have punched a guy who told me to 'get back to my own country' after... actually I forget. Oh wait yeah...after I found the bastard trying to drown an innocent kitten in the canal. And pushed him away."

In her favour Eponine didn't bat an eyelid. "Your own country? Where? Wales?"

"Believe me I'd move back tomorrow if I could but somehow I don't think that's what he had in mind."

"So you punched him. Can't say I blame you. Then what?"

"Started on me didn't he? Him and a gang of his mates. Lashed into me. Dumped me in the canal..."

"Is there any point me telling you to carry a knife against racist bastard like these?" She asked wearily, knowing the answer already.

"Only idiots and girls carry knives," he replied just as stubbornly as the first time she'd brought it up. It was one of the few things his pops had ever told him that he'd decided to listen to.

"What exactly do you want me to do with this?" Joly's unusually high pitched voice carried across the room.

"Oh shit yeah! I forgot the cat! Just keep her with you a minute while I get changed mate?"

Her? Ponine shrugged. Climbing out of a filthy canal covered in blood and bruises and immediately saving an unwanted kitten was sadly not the weirdest thing one of these boys had done. Or even the rarest. That's why they all kept at least one change of clothes each and a handful of towels in what was supposed to be Feuilly's locker. Or they usually did. Judging by her friend's groans Bahorel had forgotten to replace the spare set he used up last week.

"Just borrow Ferre's spare set!" Ponine called out. "He's about your size and he never uses it!"

"Oh yeah. Cheers Ponine!" He grabbed the clothes and disappeared to the toilets to get changed.

Ponine shook her head and glanced around the room. Idiot. Seriously who on earth would ask Joly to 'keep hold' of an animal? Any animal never mind a cat.

Joly the Darling, idiot that he was at times, looked absolutely petrified at the kitten, muttering about fleas and diseases and 'does he know how many germs are on a cat's tongue' so Ponine took pity and went to rescue him.

"Give me the cat Joly. I'll see to it. You deal with that idiot," she said pointing at the newly emerging Bahorel, now fully dry and wearing a pair of Combeferre's trousers but no shirt which just emphasized how battered and bruised the older man really was.

"You're the doc."

"Not yet I'm not. But yes please. Take the flea-bitten animal away from me!"

Ponine laughed and scooped up the kitty, watching the usually anxiety- ridden med student grab the much taller man by the wrist and force him to sit still or 'so help me I will ring Victor and get him down here' and 'don't think I didn't see that limp young man'.

Oh right...that reminded her. She took the cat back to her own table, popped it on the seat next to her and grabbed her phone.

Who to tell? Her initial instinct was Cosette but she was away in Cornwall. Who else was there then?

Enjolras would lose his shit. So would R probably. That was the ladt tjing they needed. They needed a cool head. Victor? No he was at work...Marius was no good in a crisis...someone calm and dependable and trustworthy. Well Courf was out and he would just tell everyone and then there'd be a riot. She didn't have a clue where Boussett was.

"I'm gonna text Ferre. Tell him you borrowed his stuff 'rel," she told him, stroking the cat absently.

FROM eponineT

TO Combeferre

18.21

M. Rel borrowed your emergency clothes.

True to form two minutes later he rang her.

"What happened?"

"Hello Eponine how are you today? Oh I'm fine thanks for asking."

"I'm sorry...hello Ponine."

"Hello."

"How are you?"

"Pissed off. And...J'ai besoin de toi Michel."

There was a pause as Ferre took in her words. Translated them in his mind. Realized their weight.

"Fuck. What happened?"

"I'll explain when you get here. Or Rel will. Judging by the state of him something tells me I got the watered down version."

"Well at least tell me that. You can trust me Ponine. Je suis votre ami."

"Ok. It's not me who needs to trust right now but okay. Basically he tried to rescue a kitten from a bunch of racist arseholes down the canal. From what I can work out he started on them and they beat him up. I can only assume they outnumbered him because they dumped him in the canal and he's not exactly light..."

"And you're there dealing with the fallout on your own?"

"Well Joly's here but basically yeah."

"Fuck. Okay. I'll be there in five minutes. Looks like I need to replace my emergency clothes. Again."

Ponine laughed and hung up the phone, relieved that he was on his way but not willing to go there with why the hell that was.

"Combeferre's on his way over," she told Bahorel. "I expect he'll want answers and for-um...DAMMIT!"

"What?"

"Oh I just can't remember who R...give me a sec..."

She ran through her phone yo the text R sent every morning with the name of a different old god, still not entirely sure why she was still playing along with this madness but doing so anyway.

"Ah here we go...Odin? Really? Could have sworn we had a Greek thing going right now...anyway where was I? Oh yeah..."

She turned a threatening glare on him. "By Odin you better put a shirt on unless you want another fucking punch. Your...remarkable musculature aside... you are littered with bruises. Do you want Combeferre more worried than he already is?"

"Fine I'll put on the damn shirt," he said, shoving it over his head. "How's Dora?"

"Dora."

"The cat. G...er Odin! You can't have forgotten her already?"

"R got to you too huh? And why the hell would I forget the damn cat when she is the cause of one of my best friends being practically beaten to a pulp?"

She jumped to her feet, using the height advantage it gave her to tower over the man who could probably easily pick her up with one hand if he wanted.

"That...wasn't her fault. She's just a kitten!"

"EXACTLY REL! She's just a FUCKING cat! It's just not WORTH going up against a gang to save her!"

He just gave her that stubborn look she gets from Gav sometimes. Ah so that's where her brother picked it up...

"If I didn't...who would? Who would Ponine? There was no one around. No one to care..."

They stared at each other for what feels like hours. Each trying to make the other see...

"She's asleep on Eponine's chair. Looks a little skinny but no doubt that won't last long," a cool calm voice said from behind them.

The friends spun around. Combeferre. He smiled at them, his mere presence diffusing the tension between them.

"So Bahorel I hear you've been in the wars...again."

Ferre grabbed another chair for Eponine, since there was a tiny grey fluffball snoozing in hers, and one for himself. Joly came over from his corner table to sit with them now Ferre had arrived and there was less chance of him contracting a tropical disease by being licked by a tiny kitten.

"Hello Joly. Here sit next to me. That way you're far away from the cat," Ferre said kindly, pulling out the seat next to him.

"Dora," Bahorel said.

"Sorry. Dora. Right so...what happened?"

"I take it she's already told you the basics?"

Ferre sighed, giving Bahorel one of his trademark glares.

"Eponine has told me the 'basics' as you put it yes."

"Fine. You really want to know? There were six. In total. Six against one. Not the best odds eh?" He laughed bitterly but Ferre just looked at him. Steady and impassive.

"Four of them. They pinned me down, dug their boots in my shoulders. My ankles. I fought back. Of course I fought back. But there were too many. The other two kicked and punched and...well you've seen the damage."

Ferre kept staring at him. He knew there had to be something else. Something more. Something that made Bahorel, usually so private about his fights if not, unfortunately for Ferre and anyone else who had to listen, his love life.

"You don't get it dude! They fucking pinned me. They could have done anything. ANYTHING and I couldn't stop them and I haven't been so scared since I was about nine. They...they threatened to. God! The bastards threatened to rape me. ME! And I couldn't have stopped them. I couldn't stop them Ferre. I couldn't fight back..."

Ponine didn't do the mushy stuff. She really didn't. But the large older man looked so absolutely broken she couldn't help it. Gently, so she definitely didn't wake her Ponine picked up the cat and dumped her on Bahorel's lap.

"You saved her didn't you?"

He nodded, a small smile forming as he mussed the sleeping cat's fur behind her ears.

"Yeah I did. Yeah."

"Well then you noble bloody idiot! You know sometimes I swear you're not cut out to be Slytherin. You're such an idiot."

"That's housist,' Joly gasped. "There's nothing wrong with Gryffindors."

"You're just saying that because your girlfriend's a Gryffindor," Ponine reminders him.

"So why Dora? It's a little different to your usual naming pattern," Ferre remarked and Bahorel glanced at him surprised that the other man had noticed.

Ferre also had a point. All Rel's cats were named after people who surprised him. A silky blonde girl called Cissy, a fluffy dark black boy called Padfoot, twin black girls called Meg and Molly. And his personal favourite- a bright ginger one he called Sevy. Dora certainly Was a break from tradition.

"Was gonna call her Remus. Then I saw she was a girl. So Dora seemed appropriate."

Well that...made sense. Somewhere.

"And you can't tell me what SHE did to her wasn't shocking."

No one would ever know in moments like these whether Bahorel meant Bellatrix Lestrange or JK Rowling. And nobody really wanted to ask.

"Okay then..." Ponine broke the silence that followed these words. "Well I don't know about you lot but R's dad has invited us round for tea and presumably an interrogation into his son's pathetic excuse for a love life do I'll catch you all later."

Combeferre stood up at the same time as her like the proper gentleman he was.

"I'd offer you a lift if I brought my car," he said lightly. "So I'll just wish you a nice time. Bye Ponine."

"Yeah bye pony-brain!" Rel called.

"It's a good thing you're fucking injured Ian..." she threatened and left the cafe with much to tell old man Javert, let alone R.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TAKES PLACE A YEAR BEFORE THE MAIN STORYLINE WHEN EPONINE IS STILL FIGHTING WITH MARIUS (AND COSETTE BY EXTENSION). SHE STILL FEELS LIKE A PERIPHERY FIGURE IN THE GROUP AND THIS IS EVENT IS WHAT REALLY CEMENTS HER PLACE AS ONE OF THEM.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> USUAL DISCLAIMER APPLIES. I DON'T OWN ANYTHING YOU RECOGNIZE. GENERAL WARNING FOR SWEARING BUT ALSO PARTICULAR WARNING FOR THIS CHAPTER. IT IS NOT PLEASANT. THERE IS VIOLENCE AND ABUSE MENTIONED AND HOSPITAL AND SO MUCH ANGST. EPONINE'S FATHER IS THE BIGGEST DICK IN THE WORLD.

beep...beep...beep...

Bright light. White ceiling.

'Am I dead?' And okay that hurt. Her voice sounded weird. Creaky.

'No. No you're not dead. Don't try to sit up though.' A disembodied voice that sounded vaguely familiar warned her. Okay so maybe not actually disembodied but she couldn't see them.

Maybe she had a death wish maybe she just hated being told what to do. She tried to sit up and a thousand knives cut into her stomach and twisted there.

'OWWWW!'

She slumped back down disgruntled.

'I did warn you not to Eponine.'

Wait...that voice...that was R's friend. The one who was always ill or so he claimed. Oh God what was his name? She remembered it started with a J and like most of R's friends it was his last name but...

Joly. That was it.

'Joly? What are you doing? Where am I? I...'

Then she remembered. Ringing the police to talk to Javert because she hadn't seen R in a few days and she was worried, her dad and the knife, sudden agony and so much blood, the dim face of her own mother watching her bleed out and doing nothing. She thinks she passed out for a while after that because suddenly there were lights and sirens and strong arms carrying her and her own voice rasping two words. Her name...E-po-nine...and what amounted to little more than a letter...Aire...

"Oh."

"Is...why are you...where's...Joly did they call...?"

She's outside. Ponine can hear her voice outside the room and hates herself just a little bit more than she did before.

"If you mean...Cosette...?"

Joly paused. He would make a great nurse one day she knew that but right now he seemed so scared and Ponine knew that was at least 80% her fault.

"It's okay," she croaked. "I'm not. mad. I'm...I want..."

She tried to sit up again but the tearing pain in her stomach jolted to her head so she groaned and flopped back down, her eyes blurry and panicked. Joly looked at her and, daringly ignoring the large voice in his head that warned of germs and infectious diseases, began stroking her hair. He knew exactly how much morphine they'd given her and it didn't seem to be enough but Joly was only a student nurse and the doctors knew what they were doing. Still soothing her hair had always worked when his mum was in pain with one of her babies during the early stages of labour.

"R. I want R. Please...they. I was looking for him..."

Of course she did. It was him who had translated her half-conscious pleas for the doctors working on her case.

"It's okay. He's okay. Bahorel rang him the minute he saw you coming in. He's on placement as well this term thank God since no-one else has R's number. R...well it took a couple of tries to reach him but he's on his way. He rang Cosette about five minutes before you came round. He'll be here soon Eponine. Your brother's coming for you."

"Cosette...Gavroche? The twins?"

She still felt bad. Really heartbroken bad. But she needed her family right now. Her real family not the monsters who did this to her.

Joly smiled fondly at this slip of a girl who had worked her way so effectively into their lives without noticing it.

"Is outside. As far as I know her father has your brothers...your little brothers safe at his house."

"Cosette..."

Joly took the hint, got up and went to the door.

"She's asking for you," he said. "I should probably go and tell them to let R through when he gets here since he's probably drunk."

Cosette walked into the room seeming really anxious from what Ponine could see.

"Hello..." she said, coming over to the bed and sitting in Joly's recently vacated chair.

"I'm sorry" Ponine blurted out. "Oh Sette I'm so so sorry. What happened...what I said I just...I never meant it. I swear. I just...I thought...and..."  
"Oh shush! None of that stuff matters right now chickapoo. What matters is you telling me what happened and whose body I'll be incinerating."  
She said it like she was serious. She said it like she was joking.  
"Dad. Butcher's knife. Cold and cruel and personal. Maman just...watched."  
Cosette hugged her very lightly then slapped her not so lightly.  
"Qu'as- tu fait poney?!"  
Ponine grimaced. "Je voulais R. I was preocupado. I rang le poste de police. Asked for Javert. Papa he...heard me."  
"Oh bebe. You should have just called R directly," Cosette reprimanded. And she was right. Rule Ten. Under no circumstances contact the police.  
"It's okay though," Cosette continued. "Because I broke rule three." Rule Three. Nothing comes between us. Especially not men.  
The door opened and a motley group of young men entered the room without so much as a knock.  
Courfeyrac, the one with the crazy black hair and outrageously sexy clothes, bounced on the bed while the others (she recognized them all by name now and was very pleased that she could) Enjolras the one R fancied, Jehan the writer one and poor Marius who looked so awkward and alarmed and embarrassed- hovered gawping at her.  
"We were worried," Jehan explained. "You're one of us now," Courfeyrac added hugging her legs 'since her abdomen was wounded.'  
"We care for our own," Enjolras said with as much passion as he apparently put into everything. "When one of us it hurting or alone we rally round them because that's what friends do."  
Except look after him apparently. She had seen the marks on his arms however well he hid them but she doubted anyone else had. Except maybe...The other one. The tall blond one who looked cute in his glasses. Combeferre that was it.  
"Thanks," she said. "Thanks for coming. I..." she looked at Marius. It had been him after all who she was really fighting with. Silently he handed her a single sherbet lemon. A single sherbet lemon that made her tear up for no damn reason.  
"It's my last one," he muttered. "I saved it for you." And she understood.  
It was the first thing they had, just them and no one else. This unspoken rule that the very last sweet in Marius's bag was Eponine's sweet because otherwise she mightn't ever get one that month.  
He remembered.  
"I'm sorry," she muttered so eagle-eared Courfeyrac (and damn she was shortening their names) couldn't hear her. "I was...a bitch. Can we just go back to being friends again?"  
"LOOK WHO'S HERE! LOOK WHO FINALLY MADE IT TO HIS SISTER'S HOSPITAL BED ONLY TO FIND YOU EATING SWEETS WITHOUT ME!"  
"R!" And yes she actually squealed like a five year old on Christmas day as her very own loudmouth womanizing drunk, with his crazy curls that made Courf's look tame and his beautiful piercing blue eyes, came into the room and immediately climbed up on the bed with her, tucking his arm around her head so she could rest against him. Which was...exactly what she needed.  
"Shhhhh. Dormir petite poney. Tu es en sécurité maintenant. Je suis là. Eres niña segura. Je t'aime et je suis ici et tout ira bien. Je promets. lo prometo. I promise. I will not go away again. Go to sleep. I am here."

Ponine faded into unconsciousness as her friends slipped away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT PONINE, SETTE AND R USE FRENCH AND SPANISH INTERCHANGEABLY AT THE SAME TIME. AT FIRST I HAD IT AS A JUST EPONINE THING BUT THEN I FIGURED WHY WOULDN'T THOSE TWO KNOW IT AS WELL.  
> BTW MY LANGUAGE SKILLS AREN'T GREAT. I DID MY BEST BUT IF ANY NATIVE/FLUENT SPEAKERS WANNA CORRECT ME PLEASE GO AHEAD.


	9. Éponine and Bossuet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> IN WHICH EPONINE MEETS THE BOYS AND BOSSUETT FALLS OVER HIS FEET AND ENTERTAINS LITTLE R...

Eponine didn't really want to go. But Marius had taken R's words to heart and invited Cosette to the very next meeting. Cosette who refused point blank to go without her. Cosette who begged her to come. Cosette who Marius clearly had a crush on. Cosette who was her sister. So she decided to sneak out of the flat with her baby twin brothers and go to the meeting while Gav was at his mate's house. There were a few of them dotted about, mostly your typical generally attractive student type, but Marius and R both headed for a large table further into the room. Ponine followed, dragging her little brothers along. She supposed this was where they held their meetings because even those milling around seemed focused on the three men stood there talking. There was the blond leader one who R made a beeline for. This was the one he called 'Apollo' and 'Angel' and- basically anything he could to get his attention it seemed. Enjolras...Marius said. He was talking to people. Welcoming Cosette. He was clearly their leader and it was clear to all who looked at him that R loved the blond dude. All except Apollo it seemed. He was also ignoring R in a way that made Eponine frown. Not purposefully. Accidentally. Like he just took it for granted that R was there and didn't care enough to notice him properly. She didn't like that. Who was he to ignore her brother? Then there was the fuzzy haired one who Marius went straight to. That must be...Courfeyrac. The one Marius claimed was his best friend. He sent Eponine a huge grin and announced to the whole room "R's sisters are here! And they've brought babies!" He had a pleasant Irish accent and Ponine would have liked him. Except that at his words all eyes immediately turned to her where she stood, clutching each of her brother's hands.She stood there for a minute in the awkward silence following his statement, feeling all eyes on her, wanting to sink into the ground. "Why are there children here? There shouldn't be children here. Mike make the children go away…" blondleaderguy said as the rest of them crowded Eponine. The tall blond one with glasses he had addressed poked him, not looking up from the book he was reading. Standing up. Ponine glanced at him. He wore a cardigan with actual elbow patches but the sleeves were slightly short for him and hinted at what were clearly very impressive tattoos. That must be the one they had told her about. The one who shut Marius up. "You're being rude Adrien," he said. "We discussed this. Remember?" Blondleaderguy took a deep breath, and said "Sorry," grumpily like Gavroche might. One of the boys scooped Pierre up and went to sit down, offering the two year old his phone. He was tall and looked strong but not in the same way as one of her dad's goons. He had a kinder face. "Don't give him that Bahorel you idiot. You'll never get it back…" R said lightly. "Just, let him sit on you and he'll sleep." The man just nodded, slinging a delighted Pierre over his shoulder where the two year old promptly fell asleep. Someone else offered to pick Raoul up but he refused to budge from her side, screaming when they tried to touch him. "Don't. He doesn't want to go," she found herself saying more sharply than she intended..The young man immediately backed away- his eyes widening in a way that made her feel vaguely guilty. "He doesn't like strangers," she said in a quieter voice. And for good reason. "See…" Enjolras moaned. That was his name. Enjolras. "See Mike….now he's crying…" The one he called Mike closed his book and looked over at Eponine, then around the room. "It's time to start the meeting," he said in a completely calm voice as people took their seats at the big table. The guy behind the counter who'd been serving drinks who Ponine felt sure she recognised from somewhere came over to sit between Bahorel and R. "Adrien be nice. Eponine is it? and Cosette? are both new here. We don't want to scare them away do we? Joly come sit by me. It's alright. The boy's just shy. He'll get used to you. Grantaire please don't put that whiskey in your cup. We've discussed this as well. Your sisters are here. Bahorel are you okay with the little one?" "Pierre," Eponine found herself saying. "It means Peter in French. Don't ask." "Pierre?" he amended with a small smile. Bahorel nodded and Ponine sat down on his other side to keep an eye on her brother, Raoul clinging to her jeans whining pitifully. She lifted him up so he could see the rest of them. "Je sais bébé ... je sais," she whispered soothingly. "Je sais qu'ils sont bizarres, mais tout ira bien." she said to him, watching the boys settle down. The tall ginger boy who sat next to her smiled softly. "Nous ne sommes pas tous aussi effrayant que Enjolras. Je promets." he whispered to Raoul who smiled shyly. "Jehan." the young man said, pointing to himself. Eponine, pojnting at her. Then pointed at Raoul and waited. "petit aire. Je m'appelle petit R." her little brother finally answered. "Raoul. En anglais s'il vous plait. Rappelles toi?" Ponine scolded lightly. "That's okay," he said with a smile. "Whatever makes him comfortable. I can understand Victor Hugo so I think I can understand petit R..." He turned back yo the meeting with a smile She smiled. Another person she really liked. She didn't pay much attention to the meeting but she liked what she heard. What she saw. They were fiercely passionate and determined especially Enjolras. She could see why R called him Apollo. He really did look like a Greek God when he got into a rant. All rage and fiery beauty. After the meeting ended the group began to mingle. Ponine looked at her little brothers. Pierre was fast asleep on Bahorel's shoulder but little R was still awake. He blinked at her. "Is- over- Poni?" he asked sleepily. "Me go R?" "Yep. They're all talk-" she began when a huge crash started Pierre awake. Surprisingly Raoul blinked then giggled, pointing over her shoulder as someone- the one who'd been serving drinks earlier- said: "Oh for fuck's sake Marius! I said DON'T give Boussett the tray!" She looked around, shifting her brother do she could see the commotion. One of the group...the bald one who had been sat with Joly was on the floor laughing, surrounded by chipped mugs and covered in coffee. He shook his head, struggling to his feet with difficulty. Little R kept giggling while Pierre just shrugged and snuggled back into Bahorel. He bounced about on her knee, squirming to run over to the bald guy. She set him down warily and he hurried over to the man who was now apologising profusely to the one they called 'Feuilly.' Was it just her or did all these people have really French names? Perhaps they were the kids of immigrants like her and Cosette and presumably R since she couldn't actually remember him having parents. Not the same way she remembered Cosette's real mum dying. Or perhaps it was just a weird coincidence. Little R glanced at the tall man and made grabby motions with his hands. "Up!" he demanded but the man knelt down instead. "I don't think that's a good idea little one. Your sister might kill me if I hurt you. And knowing my luck I would. You wanna sit with me and Joly though?" Raoul blinked at him not understanding a word do Eponine sauntered over to translate. "Funny man doesn't wanna hurt you," She told him. "You sit with funny man?" "Maman Poni come?" "It's only there," She said pointing to where the blond leader one was chatting to the nerdy glasses one at the other side of the table. R was watching them- him- with a small smile. He glanced over at Eponine and grinned. "R's sitting here little man," he said. "You wanna sit with me and my friends?" The two year old's face lit up at this prospect. "Oncle R!" He squealed wriggling with excitement. "I'll take that as a yes," the bald one grinned. Boussett they had called him. Huh. Ponine liked him. In fact she would go as far as to say she liked all of them. Even Enjolras. She thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First chronologically near last story wise and poor man barely appears in his own chapter.  
> Just his luck.


	10. Éponine and Jehan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> THIS CHAPTER IS...WELL YOU'LL SEE. THIS IS SET ABOUT A MONTH INTO THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR SO ABOUT FOUR MONTHS HAVE PASSED SINCE THE HUGE FIGHT IN CHAPTERS ONE AND THREE AND EPONINE'S BROTHERS ARE AT SCHOOL.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> USUAL DISCLAIMER APPLIES. BUT THE ONLY WARNING I CAN GIVE FOR THIS IS PURE TEETH ROTTING SWEETNESS AND MAYBE THE ODD SMALL SWEAR WORD THESE PEOPLE ARE WORKING UNDER THE DELUSION THAT JEHAN IS SWEET AND INNOCENT. ALSO JEHAN ALWAYS USES FIRST NAMES BECAUSE HE FINDS THEIR LAST ONES TOO WEIRDLY META.

Coming out of a lecture one Monday lunchtime Eponine clicked her phone on and was met by a deluge of messages from Jehan.

_J-man_

_12.30_

' _Oh Woden! Eponine you need to get here now. It's Adrien and Zack.'_

_J-man_

_12.33_

_Seriously come now I need you._

_J-man_

_12.34_

_I'm in the library._

"No shit Sherlock," she muttered, rubbing her face. Jehan practically _lived_ at their uni library. By (*ummm*) Artemis she did _not_ need this today. Not after a two hour lecture on some obscure practise Javert said she would never need to use anyway.

The Idiots had been doing so well. They hadn't had a bad argument in months.

Not a 'we need Eponine' one anyway. Not since before summer. But if Jehan needed her…

She groaned and swapped course to the library instead of the Gateway building. It was only a matter of heading right instead of left but it was also going away from food towards utter idiots and she was _so not amused_.

She nodded to Becky on the desk and went through to the back room holding the teaching stuff and the computers where she knew Jehan to be. Right at the back, hidden next to the stairwell she saw him perched cross legged on the desk there, flicking calmly through his 'very-expensive-copy-that-my-nanna-gave-me-that-you-can't-touch-ever' copy of Les Miserables. He still hadn't forgiven her for making notes in his 'just for uni' copy...

(HONESTLY! How many copies of that book did a man need?!)

Wait. What?! In the text he had sounded frantic but there he was calm as a summer's day with a huge grin on his face.

Then he beckoned her over urgently, finger on his lips.

'What?' she mouthed heading over and then she saw what had got him so frantic.

Sat on the ground were two figured. The tall blond one's head was resting against the table where Jehan sat watching. He seemed to be asleep, his arm wrapped around the waist of his companion- a black curly haired shorter figure leaning against him, legs in the blond one's lap- who was reading aloud, glasses askew.

As she got closer she distinctly heard the words 'Padfoot', 'Harry' and 'Hogsmeade'.

Taking in Jehan's giant grin and the way they were wrapped around each other she understood and whipped out her phone to snap a picture. Blackmail material.

She snuck around them and curled up on the desk next to Jehan.

"I can't wait until Adrien realises Sirius was denied a trial," she muttered. He grinned at her, pursing his lips and pointing at R.

Ponine glanced at her big brother. Judging by his smirk it seemed nor could he. Love Jolras though he did the man sure loved winding him up.

They watched the Idiots snuggle for a few minutes, each surreptitiously snapping a few photos but doing no more until Enjolras let out an indignant squawk. Above them Ponine and Jehan glanced at each other and burst into silent giggles as he started ranting about injustice in a completely fictional world. R smirked and lightly pulled his hair which brought the other's attention back to him.

"Sorry," he muttered. "Carry on. Please."

R pecked his cheek and went back to reading.

'We should go.' Ponine mouthed and slid off the table sneaking away, noting as Jehan quietly followed her.

"You gonna tell the other's what you saw?" she asked when they were outside.

"No," he said simply and she nodded. Jehan was all for the romance nonsense. She, however, was not above using her friends' love lives to her advantage.

_12.54_

_Yo catboy bet you a tenner Enj and R are going out._ She texted Bahorel.

_12.56_

_Not a chance. I haven't got a tenner to lose Poni. Nice try._

_12.58_

_AWW n0 fair._

_13.00_

_Ask Marius. He'll bet you._

That...was a very good idea.

"Hey you wanna go see Vic and grab a brew? I'll throw in a donut?" Jehan asked.

"A _brew?"_ she mocked. "Look at you and your northern talk."

"It's what Felix calls them," he replied with a shrug. "Do you? I hear Mike's in the cafe."

Mike. Combeferre. Who hates being called Mike but normal rules didn't seem to apply to Jehan.

She shrugged."Sure. Whatever."

"He likes you. Michel. He likes you. The way Adrien likes Zack. Felix told me. And he doesn't lie to me. Do you like him?"

"Course I like him silly. _Everyone_ likes him."

He just looked at her sternly so she sighed.

"Yes. yes I like him okay. But that doesn't mean I want to act on my feelings."

Jehan stopped her in the middle of the path, earning them more than a few filthy looks from passers by.

She took his arm and steered them off to the side, standing unded a tree that still held most of it's summer foliage.

"Why not?"

"Because...oh lots of reasons. I'm not good enough for him. I'm a mess at relationships and I have nothing to offer except a ton of baggage and a criminal family history. He deserves someone smart and rich and good who doesn't come with a mismatch of issues.

Add three kids into the mix that are basically mine even if I didn't bring them into this world and that's too much yo ask him to cope with. Then what happens when he realises this and breaks up with me because he will. It will tear us all apart. I don't want that. Even if I do like him."

Jehan frowned at her and slapped her arm. He hated it when people talked bad about his friends. Even if that was themselves.

"And what about what Michel _wants_? Doesn't he have a right to know how you feel? You should tell him. Just...tell him and see what he says. Say it in French if it's easier..."

"Yeah. Yeah. I really should. I'll...I'll tell him now. Come on flower boy before I lose my nerve."

He grinned, tucking his hair behind his ear and grabbed her hand.

"I'll be right here."


	11. Éponine and Combeferre (*finally*)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> FINAL CHAPTER. END OF THE LINE AND I LOVE IT. THIS IS SET DIRECTLY AFTER THE LAST CHAPTER. BE PREPARED FOR SOME PURE TEETH ROTTING SWEETNESS AND MAYBE A BIT OF A MISUNDERSTANDING. ALSO FRENCH AND SWEARING AND FRENCH SWEARING BECAUSE ITS EPONINE AND SHE'S NERVOUS.

Jehan opened the door to the cafe and pushed her inside. The room was full of people. Normal people just drinking their brews and browsing the free WiFi. Ponine had got so used to using the back entrance and the room it led to as Feuilly's friend that she was a little bit disoriented by the amount of strangers surrounding them but her friend guided her through to the counter where Feuilly's copper curls were clearly visible as he worked. He saw them and motioned them to the back room with a small smile.

"I've got my break soon," he said. "Go on through. I'll bring your brews through after the line goes down. Combeferre's there."

There was something sly in the grin directed at her.

"Gee thanks," she muttered, rubbing her hand through her hair. Did _everyone_ know? "Que Dieu me donne la force."

Jehan just laughed and pushed her inside the back room, whispering to add an extra sugar to her tea.

Michel was there as promised. He sat at one of the tables, intently focused on the screen in front of him, the only outward signs of stress the numerous empty mugs surrounding him. He wore a cream cardigan today. The type that old men wore. The type that looked really good on him.

She watched as he shook his head in despair mouthing a word she didn't quite hear but looked something like 'fuck'.

She smiled at the sight of him. A stupid grin that betrayed her and Jehan giggled delighted. A giggle she'd expect from a four year old girl not a 20 year old man.

"Fuck off," she grumbled which turned his giggle into a loud laugh, almost like a witch's cackle that attracted Michel's attention. (A distant part of her wondered when she had started thinking of him on first name terms.)

He smiled- a warm and genuine smile that was not helping Eponine's nerves at all. She turned away and made to bolt out of the room but Jehan, face unusually stern for someone laughing so much just a minute ago, (*which meant thd laugh was not fucking genuine the matchmaking bastard.*) held his arm out to stop her. He gave her an uncompromising look- the Jehan look that meant 'Do it or I will.'- just as Michel stood politely, coming over to greet them.

"Eponine," he said. "Jehan."

She turned around slowly. Reluctant to look into those eyes because then everything would just melt and she would get all confused and stammer and he would laugh at her and hate her and...She was being stupid. This was Michel. She could trust him… Right?

"Is there...something wrong?"

"I...um...no. NO. I just…." She glanced back at Jehan, eyes pleading to let her escape but he just shook his head firmly and pointed back to the man stood in front of her with confusion and a bit of pain in his eyes.

"I...MERDE!..." Okay...that actually helped. _That_ however, namely the incessant giggling from behind her, was not. "Putain de bâtard Jean Prouvaire. Je jure devant Dieu…"

Hmmm French helped.

Michel tilted his head, instantly translating her words with an amused glint in his eyes.

She closed her eyes, summoning her courage before saying the words…

"Je pense que je pourrais être un peu amoureux de toi."

She kept her eyes shut tightly in the sudden silence, terrified to see his reaction to her words.

Jehan was wrong. Those were not easy words to say. In any language.

"I...I'm sorry. I...I don't understand."

She cracked her eyes open startled.

"Say _what_?! But...but you speak _perfect_ French. Que carajo?!"

He laughed, A low breathy nervous chuckle that just didn't sound _right_ coming from him.

"No. No I understood the words. I just...didn't understand the...the _intent._ "

"I...oh. Well...I mean...okay...Michel. I have feelings… _romantic ones_ … oh fuck it. I fancy you nerd!"

He let out a startled laugh and she just shook her head. "You're supposed to be the smart one…"

"Hmm. Um..Eponine?"

"What? Listen...you know I can't help it...I...it won't affect us I swear...I…"

"Eponine."

"Sorry."

"Do you really mean it? You're absolutely sure…?"

"I...yeah. Yes _of course_ ," she said, annoyingly distracted. "Do you think I'd be making a _prat_ of myself if I wasn't sure?"

"That's good. Because Je suis un peu amoureuse de toi aussi. And...I would very much like to kiss you right now. If you permit it?"

She nodded dumbly and lifted her face. He smiled and bent to gently brush her lips with his. The smell of books and chocolate and sunshine after rain overpowered her. His mouth tasted of chocolate and peppermint tea. She stood on tiptoe, Michel cupping her face and deepening the kiss with a controlled passion that surprised her. A passion that set her nerves on fire and transformed the world into nothing but him and her and now.

Somewhere on the other side of the universe someone wolfwhistled loudly, accompanied by a deluge of _fucking giggles_. They broke apart nervously grinning at each other and glanced around.

Feuilly stood by the door with a tray of hot chocolates and...(*how did he know she'd chanfed her mind?*)...and a shit-eating grin next to a bouncy clapping Jehan.

Ponine groaned and shook her head. "Kids…"

Michel laughed. "So me and you…"

"Yeah...you and me."

"How long before the kids find out do you think?"

"Depends how quickly _that_ bastard (pointing at Feuilly) or, you know, the other one tells Bahorel…or Courfeyrac. An hour maybe? _Our_ idiots are...a bit preoccupied but it won't take long to circulate."

He just nods as though this isn't news and she growls lightly.

"What?" he asks, eyes crinkling with a suppressed laugh.

"Don't look at me like that because it makes me want to snog you and Vic and J are both watching us."

He does laugh at this and swoops her up into another kiss, a shorter sweet one this time.

"Let him. Let them all. Come sit with me?"

She giggles. Actually fucking _giggles_ like a kid or a...Jehan or something as he takes her hand and leads her over to the table he'd set up to work at.

"Oi Feuilly! You gonna stand there all day or you gonna bring my girlfriend (*Is that ok to call you that?*) her brew?! You only have another fifteen minutes of break left."

Feuilly blinked and brought Ponine's cup over, grin still in place.

"Tell Bahorel before we let THE Idiots know...or-anyone else for that matter...and I will tell Cosette about that time with you and her strawberry ice cream. And don't think I won't," she threatened Feuilly.

He blanched, nodded and assumed a sober expression akin to a man at his friend's death bed.

Ahh Cosette you absolutely terrifying bundle of sweetness…

"We really do need to tell them. Enjolras especially. You know how he is…" Michel reminded her.

She nodded, reaching for her phone.

To: APOLLO (R must have changed her contacts again. She wished he'd stop doing that.)

_13.43_

_Adrien. Michel and I are now in a relationship just so you know. This won't change anything for you with either of us but we'll be spending more time together away from anyone else. Like you and R. Mike sends his love to both of you. Tell R I'll ring him later._

_Love Ponine. x_

She handed it over to Michel who flicked through the message before nodding decisively and hitting SEND.

Then she took the phone back and leant into him, alarmed at how easily they fit together as his arm rested on her shoulder and she snuggled into him, that unique scent of books and chocolate and _Michel_ washing over her as she closed her eyes with a smile.

Someone put a brew in her hands and she sipped contentedly- safe and happy with nothing to fear for once.

Her brothers were all safe and in decent schools. R was happily snuggling with his Apollo. Cosette was probably somewhere with Marius. She had the best friends in the world. And the clever gorgeous steady man by her side cared about her as much as she did him.

Life was good.


End file.
